Here's how to handle uncertainty of a layoff

Recent industry reports have painted a dismal picture of Singapore’s job market, with new, niche roles opening up and others being made redundant altogether, contributing to the slow overall employment rate in Singapore across sectors and job functions.

But while reading the numbers in a report is one thing, being personally affected by a restructure or mass redundancy is quite another. You can be a very experienced, qualified individual and still faced with the uncertainty of being let go if your company is forced to improve profitability.

While this is not necessarily a reflection of your talent or abilities, it doesn’t stop it from being a stressful, emotional experience for anyone.

If you find yourself constantly wondering if you’ll still have a job in the next six months, here are 3 tips to deal with the anxiety:

Don’t believe the hypeYou have heard through the grapevine about a possible layoff or a corporate restructuring that might cost you your job. You start indulging in the the chatter, and become affected by rumours in the workplace. Before you know it, you’re over-analysing the situation and thrown off work productivity.

Until anything has been officially announced through official channels, no one knows for sure if any of those are happening, so skip the “what if’s”, which can easily add to the stress.

The more time you spend dwelling on the uncertainty, the less time you’ll have to perform your tasks or take the right action that will keep your stress at bay.

Prepare for different possibilitiesThe thing about uncertainties is that they can be difficult to plan for. But you can make a list of actions to take for various outcomes.

If you think you may get laid off, the first plan of action is to prepare for the job hunt. This means having your updated CV handy, a list of possible alternative career options and how to land them, and the people you would approach for job references.

When all else fails, remember to get back on your feetAfter being dealt a redundancy blow, it’s important to take some time off to decompress. Whatever you do, avoid the temptation to update social media with negative posts about your job loss. Once you’re ready to hit the job market, make use of the career options you have prepared from earlier, and start planning how you can reach out to these employers.

Maintaining your momentum can be difficult after losing your job, but if dealt with swiftly and carefully, there’s no reason a redundancy shock should impact the future of your career path.